Best VDI Software of 2026

IT management is complex. From installing operating systems (OS) and business applications to ensuring data is secure and remotely accessible, there are several complex processes involved. And with companies implementing flexible remote work arrangements, the complexities are only increasing.

Virtual desktop interface (VDI) software helps address these challenges. It allows companies to host their server infrastructure and OS as well as business data on the cloud. This not only offers remote access to all business applications but also helps manage apps with complex processing requirements.

With several VDI solutions available on the market, software selection can be a time-consuming process. To help you make a purchase decision, we’ve created this buyers guide that has all the information you’ll need.

Here's what we'll cover:

• What is VDI software?

• Common features of VDI software

• What type of buyer are you?

• Benefits of VDI software

• Market trend to understand

What is VDI software?

VDI software is a type of software that allows users to host desktop environments on remote servers. In other words, it hosts the OS and business applications on the cloud so that both can be accessed remotely with any device. This tool is especially useful for implementing work-from-home policies where users need remote data access, but the movement of data through on-premise servers could result in lags and glitches.

This software allows businesses to move either the entire or a part of the server load of their business systems to the cloud. Since a majority of the processing happens on the cloud, business devices (such as desktops and laptops) bear less strain, which in turn increases their life spans.

Installing applications in Citrix Cloud (Source)

Common features of VDI software

In this section, we’ll look at some of the key features of VDI software.

What type of buyer are you?

Based on the types of hosted applications, most VDI software buyers can be divided into one of the following two categories:

• Businesses hosting applications with high load-processing requirements: These businesses use VDI software to host only those applications that have high load-processing requirements, such as enterprise resource planning (ERP) and business intelligence (BI) applications. To ensure access at all times, such businesses should invest in a VDI solution that has a guaranteed uptime of 99.5%.

• Businesses hosting all business applications: These businesses need to host all of their business applications on the cloud. To ensure successful deployment, they should seek a minimum software uptime of 95% along with migration assistance from the vendor to migrate existing applications and databases. They should also perform higher due diligence to check whether the vendor facilitates smooth exit of applications when switching providers.

Benefits of VDI software

There are several benefits of using VDI software. Let’s have a look at a few of the most notable.

• Higher cost savings: VDI software hosts your OS and desktop environment on cloud servers, which means you don’t have to purchase internal servers. Also, since all processing happens on the cloud, the load on business devices (desktops, laptops, etc.) is reduced, which increases their life spans.

• Better data security: Lost or stolen devices pose significant security risks to your business data. With VDI software, you can minimize such risks. As both the OS and business applications are hosted on the cloud and can be accessed remotely, you can log in instantly from another device to restrict unauthorized access.

• Access to on-premise software with complex server needs: There may be certain on-premise solutions that you aren’t able to use due to their complex server management requirements. With VDI software, such solutions are installed on the vendor’s servers, allowing you to use them without having to deal with hardware, server, or scalability complexities.

• Easy implementation of flexible work policies: Implementing flexible work arrangements has its share of IT issues. Businesses must set up virtual private networks (VPNs) to ensure secure data transfer while also backing up existing data to avoid a breach in case a device is stolen or damaged. VDI software moves data processing and storage to the cloud and automatically backs up all business data. It also enables administrators to control user access remotely, thus minimizing instances of data breaches in case a device is stolen.

Market trend to understand

Mobile device access on the rise: Mobility is one of the biggest trends driving the adoption of VDI software. With more users accessing business applications on their smartphones and tablets, VDI solution providers have started adding mobile devices as service endpoints to offer a seamless mobile experience.

Note: The application selected in this article is an example to show a feature in context and isn’t intended as an endorsement or recommendation. It has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable at the time of publication.